Today there are three active political parties in 
Progressive Front) is one among the three. The other two are the Seychelles National Party (SNP) and the Democratic Party (DP). At least these are the ones registered and recognised by the existing law that governs the existence of political parties in our democracy.
The purpose of a political party is to bring together citizens sharing common ideals for the purpose governing the country. Free and fair democratic elections are the means by which the people choose the leaders to govern them through institutions established by the Constitution which is the fundamental law. But free and fair elections are only possible in a society where all issues are freely discussed and argued, with total respect of another’s opinion.
SBC (the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation) is a State funded broadcasting media set up by a law derived from article 168 of the Constitution. The Constitution says that such an institution shall be so “constituted and managed that they operate independently of the State and of the political and other influence of other bodies, persons or political parties”. The Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation Act which established SBC was supposed to give effect to this constitutional requirement. The purpose of the existence of SBC, therefore, is to promote the free expression of opinions in total respect of the opinions of others. SBC also provides entertainment.
On Sunday 4th June, 2006 SPPF held a rally. They claimed that they were celebrating the Liberation Day as well as their birthday, two politically controversial issues in our politics. 5th June (Liberation Day) was the occasion in our history when the current leaders of SPPF resorted to violence to grab power. Their resort to violence for political gains caused many deaths, abuses of human rights and other upheavals in the lives of thousands of ordinary Seychellois people. It created a dictatorship that lasted 15 years.
5th June remains a divisive issue in our politics one which must be addressed sooner or later if our democracy is to progress, an issue that SBC has an obligation to tackle because it has an obligation to allow free expression. It must also do so in the spirit of reconciliation and national harmony. But SBC has so far failed to provide a forum for the expression of a balanced opinion on this issue. Instead SBC sent two of its most known and recognised presenters in JJ t-shirts to be seen with SPPF party leaders on stage in their political rally to celebrate this controversial and divisive historical moment.
Jules Hoareau and Anna Gonthier are not just ordinary employees of SBC, such as a cleaner or gardener. They prepare, edit and broadcast documentaries on SBC both TV and radio. What they choose to broadcast can be influenced by their overt political affiliations or allegiances to SPPF a political party.
Their presence on the stage next to the leaders of the SPPF wearing JJ t-shirts may be an expression of their fundamental right of association protected by the Constitution. Their employment by the corporation is, however, not a fundamental right. In order for the corporation to fulfil its obligations set out in the Constitution and its charter, SBC employees cannot owe allegiance to a political party even if they may sympathise with one, or display that allegiance in public.
The public deserves an explanation from the Board of SBC as to what Jules Hoareau and Anna Gonthier were doing on the podium among the leaders of the SPPF wearing a JJ t-shirt. If the Board of SBC remains silent it can only demonstrate that the institution is an instrument of the SPPF.
